Comments on: The Mobile Web: What Does it Mean for Direct Sales? http://www.jenfongspeaks.com/the-mobile-web-what-does-it-mean-for-direct-sales/ Business Excellence with Jennifer Fong Thu, 09 Sep 2010 16:43:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Karen Clark http://www.jenfongspeaks.com/the-mobile-web-what-does-it-mean-for-direct-sales/comment-page-1/#comment-519 Karen Clark Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:23:34 +0000 http://www.jenfongspeaks.com/?p=1032#comment-519 I got an iPhone this last Christmas and felt like a latecomer then but WOW I don't know what I did without it now. Not only because of easy access to the web but because as an active direct seller I am always on the go! I find many pockets of time in which to check in with people via email, text, or phone, which frees up more time when I am home with my family, whereas before my iPhone, I would get home for the day and have to spend an hour catching up or clearing out my inbox. I agree with David that companies will best serve their field by creating specific mobile apps for their back office services vs. encouraging us to do business on the little bitty browser. If we each had a mobile app for placing orders or signing up recruits, imagine what that would do for our productivity. We could place orders at the party and when we get home, we could be more present for our families. The DSWA has recently partnered with Roam Data to provide a mobile merchant service and I believe this is the direction they are going with that! Karen I got an iPhone this last Christmas and felt like a latecomer then but WOW I don’t know what I did without it now. Not only because of easy access to the web but because as an active direct seller I am always on the go! I find many pockets of time in which to check in with people via email, text, or phone, which frees up more time when I am home with my family, whereas before my iPhone, I would get home for the day and have to spend an hour catching up or clearing out my inbox.

I agree with David that companies will best serve their field by creating specific mobile apps for their back office services vs. encouraging us to do business on the little bitty browser. If we each had a mobile app for placing orders or signing up recruits, imagine what that would do for our productivity. We could place orders at the party and when we get home, we could be more present for our families.

The DSWA has recently partnered with Roam Data to provide a mobile merchant service and I believe this is the direction they are going with that!
Karen

]]> By: Helen Askins http://www.jenfongspeaks.com/the-mobile-web-what-does-it-mean-for-direct-sales/comment-page-1/#comment-518 Helen Askins Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:54:31 +0000 http://www.jenfongspeaks.com/?p=1032#comment-518 I am a latecomer, also, when it comes to mobile media and all that jazz. Currently, my 13-year-old daughter has a Blackberry and I simply have a flip/camera phone for myself. My DD is constantly telling me that I need to catch up with the times and that I should get a Blackberry for my direct sales business. I totally agree that the mobile web is a great way to keep updated and connected with your company as well as your customers and I think that it will be a tool that many direct selling companies will start using very soon. My problem with it would be budgeting the cost of one of these "new" phones and also the cost of adding the service to it along with the cost of the applications. As I said, I am a latecomer to all this technology, but I also see the great value of "keeping up with the times" as my daughter would say. I suppose if this became something that my company moved forward with (and I believe that they will), then I would have to say that you better get ready to begin a class, Jennifer, on helping latecomers like me figure out the mobile web; because I would be lost! My daughter will be so pleased that I'm considering upgrading my phone! LOL Have a glorious day! I am a latecomer, also, when it comes to mobile media and all that jazz. Currently, my 13-year-old daughter has a Blackberry and I simply have a flip/camera phone for myself. My DD is constantly telling me that I need to catch up with the times and that I should get a Blackberry for my direct sales business. I totally agree that the mobile web is a great way to keep updated and connected with your company as well as your customers and I think that it will be a tool that many direct selling companies will start using very soon. My problem with it would be budgeting the cost of one of these “new” phones and also the cost of adding the service to it along with the cost of the applications. As I said, I am a latecomer to all this technology, but I also see the great value of “keeping up with the times” as my daughter would say. I suppose if this became something that my company moved forward with (and I believe that they will), then I would have to say that you better get ready to begin a class, Jennifer, on helping latecomers like me figure out the mobile web; because I would be lost! My daughter will be so pleased that I’m considering upgrading my phone! LOL Have a glorious day!

]]> By: Jennifer http://www.jenfongspeaks.com/the-mobile-web-what-does-it-mean-for-direct-sales/comment-page-1/#comment-517 Jennifer Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:32:26 +0000 http://www.jenfongspeaks.com/?p=1032#comment-517 David, You make some interesting points here. Once mobile apps become more prevalent among individual direct sellers, it will be interesting to see if it is companies themselves, suppliers, or a combination of the two that produce the most robust solutions for the industry. Cheers! Jennifer David,
You make some interesting points here. Once mobile apps become more prevalent among individual direct sellers, it will be interesting to see if it is companies themselves, suppliers, or a combination of the two that produce the most robust solutions for the industry.

Cheers!
Jennifer

]]> By: David Eads http://www.jenfongspeaks.com/the-mobile-web-what-does-it-mean-for-direct-sales/comment-page-1/#comment-516 David Eads Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:18:48 +0000 http://www.jenfongspeaks.com/?p=1032#comment-516 I founded Mobile Strategy Partners to help organizations figure out these exact questions. My wife has also had her own direct selling business with Usborne Books & More for over 13 years. Mobile technology can be a huge productivity boost to Direct Sellers, when done right. Done wrong it can be a big frustration and an excuse for new recruits to blame something other than themselves for failure. Therefore it's critical to do right! As an example, my wife could be far more productive if she had a real-time book out-of-stock list she could refer to when speaking to a librarian or a guest at a home show. My experience (and industry stats) suggest that this type of info should be in a native application (iPhone, Blackberry, etc. ) instead of on a website. The form factor of the phone makes it slow. Users choose applications over web sites by a factor of 9 to 1. The bottom line is that mobile applications can enhance almost any business. Each business needs to decide what features are most important to their sales team productivity. Then organizations should determine how best to deliver those features to the sales team. Find out more at http://www.MobileStrategyPartners.com David Eads I founded Mobile Strategy Partners to help organizations figure out these exact questions. My wife has also had her own direct selling business with Usborne Books & More for over 13 years.

Mobile technology can be a huge productivity boost to Direct Sellers, when done right. Done wrong it can be a big frustration and an excuse for new recruits to blame something other than themselves for failure. Therefore it’s critical to do right!

As an example, my wife could be far more productive if she had a real-time book out-of-stock list she could refer to when speaking to a librarian or a guest at a home show. My experience (and industry stats) suggest that this type of info should be in a native application (iPhone, Blackberry, etc. ) instead of on a website. The form factor of the phone makes it slow. Users choose applications over web sites by a factor of 9 to 1.

The bottom line is that mobile applications can enhance almost any business. Each business needs to decide what features are most important to their sales team productivity. Then organizations should determine how best to deliver those features to the sales team.

Find out more at http://www.MobileStrategyPartners.com

David Eads

]]> By: Twitter Trackbacks for The Mobile Web: What Does it Mean for Direct Sales? [jenfongspeaks.com] on Topsy.com http://www.jenfongspeaks.com/the-mobile-web-what-does-it-mean-for-direct-sales/comment-page-1/#comment-515 Twitter Trackbacks for The Mobile Web: What Does it Mean for Direct Sales? [jenfongspeaks.com] on Topsy.com Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:04:59 +0000 http://www.jenfongspeaks.com/?p=1032#comment-515 [...] The Mobile Web: What Does it Mean for Direct Sales? www.jenfongspeaks.com/the-mobile-web-what-does-it-mean-for-direct-sales – view page – cached What does the mobile web mean for direct sales? Do we need to pay attention? How will the mobile web be used by direct sellers in the future. It's something to think about. — From the page [...] [...] The Mobile Web: What Does it Mean for Direct Sales? http://www.jenfongspeaks.com/the-mobile-web-what-does-it-mean-for-direct-sales – view page – cached What does the mobile web mean for direct sales? Do we need to pay attention? How will the mobile web be used by direct sellers in the future. It's something to think about. — From the page [...]

]]> By: Libby Adams http://www.jenfongspeaks.com/the-mobile-web-what-does-it-mean-for-direct-sales/comment-page-1/#comment-514 Libby Adams Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:09:53 +0000 http://www.jenfongspeaks.com/?p=1032#comment-514 At my company's conference in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago, they gave out 10 Palm Pre phones as door prizes among other wonderful electronic gadgets! Yes, it looks as if the mobile office is very mobile and portable seeing all the electronic devices I saw going through the airport home from the conference. At my company’s conference in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago, they gave out 10 Palm Pre phones as door prizes among other wonderful electronic gadgets!

Yes, it looks as if the mobile office is very mobile and portable seeing all the electronic devices I saw going through the airport home from the conference.

]]> By: Jennifer http://www.jenfongspeaks.com/the-mobile-web-what-does-it-mean-for-direct-sales/comment-page-1/#comment-513 Jennifer Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:55:31 +0000 http://www.jenfongspeaks.com/?p=1032#comment-513 Thanks for the comment Dawn! I wonder if companies should consider mobile web devices as incentives moving forward. Something to think about. Jennifer Thanks for the comment Dawn! I wonder if companies should consider mobile web devices as incentives moving forward. Something to think about.

Jennifer

]]> By: Dawn Wilkerson http://www.jenfongspeaks.com/the-mobile-web-what-does-it-mean-for-direct-sales/comment-page-1/#comment-512 Dawn Wilkerson Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:49:56 +0000 http://www.jenfongspeaks.com/?p=1032#comment-512 I agree with you! I have a mobile web device (Palm Treo - will be the Palm Pre when I promote next!!) and use it often within my business. I have placed orders on the go, email, checking stats etc. It is also great that it syncs with my desktop so I have everyone's (clients, team members, office, etc) #'s, addresses, etc at my fingertips wherever I may be. I agree with you! I have a mobile web device (Palm Treo – will be the Palm Pre when I promote next!!) and use it often within my business. I have placed orders on the go, email, checking stats etc. It is also great that it syncs with my desktop so I have everyone’s (clients, team members, office, etc) #’s, addresses, etc at my fingertips wherever I may be.

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